Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

Editor’s note: I spoke to county Clerk-Recorder Greg Diaz about this report on Friday morning before the Amgen press conference in Lake Tahoe. He was very pleased. I couldn’t get around to posting it until now. Well done!

“The Nevada County Grand Jury is pleased to report to the citizens of Nevada County that the November 2, 2010 Nevada County General Election ran smoothly, problems were minor, and the election was conducted effectively,” according to a Grand Jury report released Friday.

“Members of the Grand Jury visited all 57 precincts in Nevada County on Election Day.

“During interviews conducted with poll workers it was determined that some voters found the instructions for Vote-by-Mail ballots confusing. Some voters wishing to vote in person after having received their Vote-by-Mail ballots were confused as to the location of their precinct.

“The Grand Jury also followed up on recommendations from the 2008-2009 Grand Jury Report and found that all had been implemented.

“The Grand Jury wishes to commend the Nevada County Elections Office on a job well done.”

The rest of the report is here.

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE – This year’s Amgen Tour of California will be the most challenging in its 6-year-history, and it will test the mettle of an up-and-coming group of riders who are challenging the veterans, participants said at a press conference on Friday.

Meeting at Harveys Lake Tahoe, the riders said this year’s race, which starts at the highest elevation ever and includes two mountaintop finishes, will be the toughest yet. And that’s without the forecast of snow on Sunday’s start in South Lake Tahoe.

“This is the hardest edition of the Amgen Tour of California in its six years,” said three-time winner Levi Lepheimer of Team Radio Shack, adding that the race is going to be a “mini Tour de France.”

On Stage 2, the race passes through Nevada City, Grass Valley and Beale Air Force Base on the way to Sacramento. The Stage 3 start, on Tuesday, is in Auburn.

The race also will test the might of up-and-coming riders, such as Ben King (Team Radio Shack), Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) and Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad), against the older riders. “I don’t like to say we enjoy beating up on the older guys, but we’re excited, motivated and ready to roll,” said Phinney. Veteran Lance Armstrong is not racing in the Tour of California this year.

Race organizers will meet Saturday night to decide whether the course needs to be altered because of a 90 percent chance of snow at Lake Tahoe, said Race Director Jim Birrell. “Tomorrow night, our team is going to assemble, and we’ll be assessing the weather,” Birrell said. Options could include shortening the race, he said.

The Amgen race’s website will begin offering updates on the race starting at 10 p.m. Saturday night, race organizers said.

The younger riders were prepared to tackle the weather. “I’m from Montana and used to the cold,” said Van Garderen.

“This group is for the most part experienced enough to know the level of risk to take,” Leipheimer said. “First and foremost, the organizers have our back. They’ll assess Sunday morning whether it’s possible or not. When you have snow accumulating on the road, going downhill is nearly impossible to navigate.”

Here’s a video I made from the Amgen kickoff and a day at the Lake (Levi is wearing the black cap at the press conference, and there’s a shot of the Radio Shack Team’s bicycles and cars – under tight security – that I got from the 19th floor of Harveys. While driving around the lake, I ran into a cycling team that was training for the race. The cyclists are working hard to get used to the high altitude):

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Our county’s Republican Party is running this mock ad of Obama’s re-election campaign on their website, with a note “very clever.” It’s more of the same negative rhetoric:

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“Ron Paul, a U.S. congressman from Texas, announced Friday a new run for the Republican presidential nomination for 2012, saying Americans are now ready for his libertarian idea,” according to AFP. “It will be the third attempt for Paul, who ran as a Republican in 2008 but failed to win any primaries, and was the Libertarian Party candidate in 1988.”

It comes in the same week that Newt Gingrich threw his hat in the political ring. “Newt Gingrich doesn’t want to be president; He just doesn’t want to be forgotten,” writes Joanne Bamberger in the Huffington Post.

The right has been so busy bashing President Obama, it’s forgetting that it still has to come up with a candidate to beat him.

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I received this from the Sierra Master Chorale, one of our very talented groups in the foothills:

What:
Sierra Master Chorale presents
“Sing Along with Then Again”

When:
Sunday, May 29, 2011
2-4 p.m.

Where:
Center for the Arts, Grass Valley

Cost:
$15 at the door – no pre-purchased tickets necessary

More info: 530-273-3990

Do you enjoy singing along to the nostalgic tunes from the 50s, 60s and 70s? Join in the fun for an afternoon of dancing and singing with Then Again, a fundraiser for the Sierra Master Chorale that will “make you feel alright” (Beatles lyric/Hard Days Night).

Then Again’s amazing harmonies come alive with music we all know from the Beatles, the Everly Brothers; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; Simon and Garfunkel; Carole King; Joni Mitchell’ Elton John; and more.

It will be a collective karaoke as we sing songs with the band, such as “Hard Day’s Night”, “City of New Orleans”, “California Dreaming” and “Under the Boardwalk.”

“We will have a screen projecting the words for everyone to sing along, so nobody will be left out, ” says event chairperson Connie Dorland with a smile. “Everybody can sing along and if you’re like me, you’ll find out that you’ve been singing your own made up version of these songs for all these years. For me, it will be fun to learn the real versions of great old classic rock-n-roll songs.”

Then Again is comprised of three very talented local musicians. Steve Nicholson, on bass and vocals, is a member of the Sierra Master Chorale, and can usually be found in the orchestra for Sierra Stages and CATS Productions. Kathy Chastain, on vocals and occasional percussion, is also a member of Sierra Master Chorale. James May, on guitar and vocals, is a singer/songwriter who has been singing professionally for many years.

““I go see “Then Again” every chance I can. Whether they’’re performing at Amigos in Nevada City, or at a private party”,” says Mary Anne Davis, also a member of the Sierra Master Chorale. ““Their musical exuberance is contagious! And the chance to sing along with them? I’ll be there!” The audience is invited to dress in nostalgic attire and to enjoy the music. “…And we’ll have fun, fun, fun…”

The Sing Along is at 2pm at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley. Admission is $15 at the door.

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Editor’s note: I’m going to head “up the hill” to Tahoe this morning for the press conference to kick off the Amgen Tour of California. It’s always a good event. This year they’ll no doubt talk about how to handle the snow that is expected on Stage 1.

WHAT: Race organizers will kick off the 2011 Amgen Tour of California by hosting a press conference with race officials, sponsors, athletes and team managers to prepare for the start of the professional road cycling race.

Considered the largest cycling race in North America, the 2011 Amgen Tour of California will cover nearly 800 miles over eight days and feature 18 of the world’s top professional cycling teams. Traversing some of the state’s most picturesque highways and coastlines, the sixth-annual race kicks off in South Lake Tahoe and will visit 15 Host Cities for official stage starts and finishes from May 15 – 22.

WHO: Amgen Tour of California organizers, cycling officials, sponsors, top cyclists and team managers expected to participate include:

· Andrew Messick, President, AEG Sports
· Jim Birrell, Race Director, 2011 Amgen Tour of California
· Stuart Arbuckle, Vice President & General Manager Oncology, Amgen, official race sponsor
· Bob Stapleton, Owner, HTC-Highroad
· Carol Chaplin, Executive Director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
· Andy Chapman, Director of Tourism, North Lake Tahoe Resort Association
· Levi Leipheimer, Team RadioShack (three-time Amgen Tour of California champion)
· Ben King, Team RadioShack
· Andy Schleck, Saxo Bank Sungard
· Dave Zabriskie, Team Garmin-Cervelo
· Andrew Talansky, Team Garmin-Cervelo
· Taylor Phinney, BMC Racing Team
· Tejay Van Garderen, HTC-Highroad

Additional riders will be announced later in the week.

WHEN: Friday, May 13, 2011
11 a.m. PT – Media check-in opens
Noon – 1:30 p.m. PT – Lunch (19 Restaurant)
2 p.m. PT – Press conference (Cabaret Club)

WHERE: Harvey’s Resort and Casino
18 US Highway 50
Stateline, Nevada 89449
Self-parking in parking garages on site

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